(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "Well, as always, as I said in the two matches and this is the third match and we're going to try to do what we've been doing, work, compete, try to do things better on the field, but I know my players are happy to play a match like this and well, I think tomorrow will be a good match." 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE AFTER BEING ASKED ABOUT ROSTER MOVES, SAYING: "We're here, playing with the players who are here and preparing for tomorrow's match.

And after the match, we'll return to Madrid and think about the first match of the league." 4.

ATLETICO MADRID COACH DIEGO SIMEONE AT NEWS CONFERENCE 5.

(SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) ATLETICO MADRID COACH DIEGO SIMEONE AFTER BEING ASKED IF JAMES RODRIGUEZ WILL BE JOINING THE TEAM, SAYING: "Well, good afternoon everybody.

Like always, the club has been working with an idea and a path for the past three or four months more or less of the possibility that we would meet and the team's needs to continue improving and, because of this, the club works.

To talk about one specific player isn't fair because he's not here and let's talk about the people who are training, competing and obviously interested in starting well in the league." 6.

(SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) DIEGO SIMEONE AFTER BEING ASKED IF HE BELIEVES HIS TEAM CAN COMPETE WITH REAL MADRID AND BARCELONA IN LA LIGA, SAYING: "I never look for myself in someone else's eyes.

We see ourselves improving year after year and continuing to grow.

It's clear that we've had two very good years in the league.

In the Champions, it's been uneven -- last year was better than the prior one, the prior one worse than the one before that, and we expect that this next year, we'll have more equilibrium and consistency in the three competitions which is what we're looking for." STORY: Athletico Madrid's Diego Simeone refused to comment on the possible signing of Colombian international James Rodriguez ahead of his team's International Champions Cup match against Real Madrid Friday (July 26) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Argentine coach said, "To talk about one specific player isn't fair because he's not here.

Let's talk about the people who are training, competing and obviously interested in starting well in the league." Rodriguez, who has been on loan the last two seasons to Bayern Munich, is rumoured to be a transfer target for Atletico Madrid and other team's in this summer's transfer window.

Midfielder Saul Niguez joined Simeone at the top of the news conference and insisted that the upcoming New York version of the Madrid derby was not just another friendly after a reporter tried to downplay the match's importance.

Simeone also weighed in on the upcoming season and said he felt Atletico is improving every year but hopes to have more consistency throughout their season.

On the Real side, coach Zinedine Zidane echoed Simeone when asked about roster changes, saying any additions or subtractions would only be considered when they return to Spain.

Zidane refused to be baited when asked about Paul Pogba, saying the players with him in the U.S. were the players he was thinking about.